Improvement in file cases or boxes



S. DURYEE. File Case or Box.

No. 213,040. Pa'fented lvlar'; 11, 1879.

Inventor:

UNITED S ATEs PATENT OFFICE.

SGHUYLER DURYEE, OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FILE CASES OR BOXES.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,040, dated March 11, 1879 application filed August 1, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ScHUYLER DURYEE, of Falls Church, in the county of Fairfax and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in File Cases or Boxes, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to'provide a file case or box for the preservation of papers which, from its simplicity of construction and ease of operation, will greatly preserve papers and facilitate their examination in public and private offices.

i The invention consists of a rectangular box, of wood or metal, or other suitable material, divided diagonally in or near the plane of its upper front edge and lower rear edge, the two parts being hinged together, and rigid slotted ratchet-bars, longitudinally arranged between the base and top of the box on either side; clamping mechanism, consisting of an eccentric-lever attached to a cross-bar, which acts as a compensating medium and locks the bar; and a follower with guide-rods, between which and the follower the bar above referred to passes.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a perspective view of the file-box closed. Fig. 2 represents the box opened for examination of contents or insertion of papers; and Fig. 3, a modified form of the filebox, being an open file-holder.

In the drawings, A is the front of the box; B, the base; 0, the side; D, the upper section; E E, the rigid slotted ratchet-bars, in which the cross-bar F operates the follower G. is the eccentric-lever, attached to the cross-bar as a compensating medium and lock for the bar. g g are the guide-rods, attached to the follower, and between which and the follower the cross-bar passes.

The ratchet-bars are provided with longitudinal slots, which terminate in vertical slots to form bearings for the ends of the cross-bar F, and admit of a rearward inclination of the follower G, to facilitate the inspection of the papers.

To operate my file-box, after lifting the upper section, D, the lever f is elevated sufficiently to raise the cross-bar from the ratchetteeth, move it the desired distance, and rest it in a ratchet, which thus allows the follower G to fall backward, permitting the use of both hands in examining the papers and inserting others between the follower and end A. The

followeris then pressed against the papers by pushing on the cross-bar, and, the desired compression secured, the bar drops into the ratchet on either side, and by pressing theeccentriclever downward against the follower a compensation in pressure is obtained and the bar locked. The upper section is then closed.

The open file-holder, Fig. 3, is operated in a similar manner.

With this description of my invention, what I claim is- 1. A file-box the outercasing of which is composed of two triangular hinged sections,

one of which is provided with the slotted ratchet-bars and the adjustable follower, and

the other forming the cover, all as shown and described.

2. The angular bars, each having a combined longitudinal and vertical slot, in which ratchet-teeth are formed, and also a bearing for the cross-bar of the follower.

3. The combination of a box and rigid slotted ratchet-bars, each having vertical slots, terminating in bearings for the cross-bar, with the follower carrying the cross-bar.

4:. The combination of the front plate, A,

the base-plate B, the rigid slotted ratchet-bars 

